1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to a connecting element for connecting a fiber-optic light guide to a light source one time and detaching the fiber-optic light guide from a light source one time. In this context, light source shall be understood not only as the light source itself, but also the components necessary for coupling of light or other radiation in the light guide. With the use of the terms light guide and light source, there is no limitation of the application of the present invention just to visible light.
2. Description of Related Art
Applications in which the light guide is used for endoscopic treatments, for example, for sclerothearpy of hemorrhoids in the human body, are emphasized. For this purpose, the light source produces IR radiation, which is coupled in the light guide and is directed via the light guide to the site where the hemorrhoids are found. Based on the endoscopic use of the light guide, it must be assured that it is sterile. Consequently, after terminating treatment, the question arises as to how to proceed further with the used light guide. Basically, the light guide could be cleaned and sterilized after use, for example, by means of UV radiation or by autoclaving. Several aspects must be noted here, however: In a physician's practice or in a hospital, where the corresponding treatment is usually conducted, a cleaning by means of appropriate cleaning agents and a sterilization by means of UV radiation or other means in general cannot be practically conducted. In this case, sterilization by means of an autoclave is more suitable, whereby it must be observed that autoclavable plastics must be utilized, which, however, are in general relatively expensive to acquire and thus make the light guide more expensive. Appropriate cleaning devices and autoclaves are not generally available on the market.
In all sterilization procedures that are conducted after the use of the light guide mentioned here, the risk always remains that the sterilization has not been carried out to the extent necessary. There remains a specific residual risk of an infection of the patient who is treated with a light guide that has already been used. Consequently, it is expedient to use such a light guide only once and to discard it after use. However, it must be assured that an unused light guide is actually utilized in such cases. For this purpose, the use of a connecting element with which the unused fiber-optic light guide can be connected only once with the component, particularly the light source, and can be detached also only once, is offered.
Screw connections, which can be used only once are known from the prior art. A one-time screw connection for an airbag is disclosed in DE 42 08 844, with which two components can be screwed together, but can only be detached again from one another by being destroyed. Both the screw as the connecting element and the thread as corresponding connecting segment can no longer be used after detaching. Such a connection, however, is not appropriate in the present case of application, since the light source and the corresponding connecting segment, usually disposed in the housing of the light source, are to be used again with another, new light guide.
US 2008/0255549 describes a light guide, which can be connected to a light source by means of clips. The light guide can be designed as a disposable product for reasons of sterility. The clips are destroyed upon detaching the light guide, so that any further use is excluded.
DE 102 45 140 discloses a light guide that has a transponder, on which different data can be stored, for example, the number of treatments. As long as the light guide is designed as a light guide for one-time use, a warning tone can be generated if the light guide is about to be used a second time.